Mainstreaming Biodiversity

A series of success stories!

In light of the rapid decline of biodiversity over the last decades, maintaining the essential services that it provides requires immediate action and the collective engagement of all parts of society, governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector alike.

Biodiversity conservation is thus a pre-condition for achieving sustainable development. As such, it needs to be integrated into all sectors and across sectors: biodiversity needs to be mainstreamed.

This project, led by IUCN and BirdLife International, aims to document -through a series of simple factsheets- how mainstreaming biodiversity can be successfully put into practice. These factsheets complement the existing literature on this subject, that has remained, so far, mostly on theoretical grounds.

Our hope is that these amazing stories will inspire further mainstreaming efforts.

The factsheets

Mainstreaming Biodiversity: What Does Success Look Like?

This introductory factsheet to the mainstreaming factsheets series provides some background information on the project, defines mainstreaming for these factsheets and outlines how we define success.

Respecting World Heritage Sites

In a world reliant on fossil fuels, the quest to extract oil and other resources has led companies to moving further afield, sometimes on or near Natural World Heritage Sites. Although not all follow conservation guidelines, increasingly mining firms are committing to respecting and maintaining biodiversity in these zones. Learn more in our factsheet.

Southern Cone Grasslands Alliance

A large scale project across southern South America helps to protect the grasslands’ ecosystems, by promoting sustainable cattle grazing practices. The scheme could avoid the extinction of many birds that migrate to the region’s Pampas and other wildlife. Read more in our factsheet.

Vulture Safe Zones

A leading mining group joining forces with conservation NGOs to help prevent the extinction of vultures is an unusual scenario. Yet this is what happened in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in 2014 after conservation experts discovered the birds were ingesting a drug found in their prey. Find out more in our factsheet.

The Case of Switzerland: Forging the Right Future

For Switzerland’s officials, the process of forging the country’s national position on the sustainable development goals was a challenging exercise, but the process yielded positive results and became one of learning from each other, listening and trust. Learn more in our factsheet.

The Albatross Task Force: Finding Solutions to Save Ocean Wanderers

The Renewable Grid Initiative in Europe

The Renewables Grid Initiative is making its way to the sustainable energy production by having agreed to adopt measures to avoid impact of power lines on birds and other biodiversity. Read more about this in our factsheet

Natura 2000 Network

The Natura 2000 network is an exmple of a successful science-policy interface, where the network of Important Areas informs the designation of SPAs (Special Protection Areas). Find out more in our factsheet

The Russian Arctic: On the Way to Common Ground in Biodiversity Conservation

Lack of common ground in how to best approach biodiversity conservation in the Russian Arctic has called for new ways to help multiple national stakeholders overcome disagreements. Learn about it in our factsheet

Tree Kangaroo Conservation Coffee

Protecting threatened wildlife, empowering local communities in the process and doing it all through a premium conservation-friendly coffee brand. Such was the triple win solution generated by IUCN Member Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Programme. Find out more in our factsheet

Bat-friendly Tequila

Academics, producers, distillers, bottlers, marketers, and bartenders are joining forces to produce Bat Friendly Tequila and Mezcal™ and to defend the agave, its pollinators, and Mexico’s national drinks. This factsheet explores the link between tequila and bat conservation